Crafter FX-630EQ

The beast is 2001-built, in Korea. It's got 22 standard frets, but the way the neck is cut at the body, you get 24 to play with on strings 1-3.

This is an electro-acoustic, so you get a nice volume slider and three band EQ controls. There is also a noise reduction switch, but there's no noise to start with, so I don't know what that's for. The guitar comes with a battery.

I don't know what the parts are made from, except the inlay on the body that looks like mother-of-pearl is actually some kind of New Zealand shell-fish. Looks kick-arse, though.

Normally I play different types of metal, but my mate and I go out onto the village green and sit on a bench and play. We get quite a little following of local teenagers during the summer. So for that, this guitar rocks. Just playing sort of upbeat acoustic rock.

If you tune to Open D, the beast is also really, really good for playing blues. The sort that makes me think of the rising or setting sun. Really deep and gutteral, if you see what i mean.

If you plug in, the FX-630EQ, is _fantastic_ for heart-felt ballads and stuff like that. You get the ultimate rich tone. I like this guitar.

The guitar has a really full sound. Not brittle, but not muddy. I've not managed to get any noise or feedback when plugged in, so that's alright.

I've not adjusted the guitar since I bought it. It is set up _perfectly_ not too low, not too high. Nice thick strings. Elevens I think, cos it plays easier than my electric. The thing is pretty much perfect. The only tiny, tiny thing wrong with it, was the white smudge inside the body. But frankly I don't give a monkey's.

It seems pretty solid, but then, it's not like I've dropped it. I've tended to be *very* careful, since my last acoustic (luckily a piece of crap) lost its neck, when after a night of boozing, I took it out onto the green and walked straight into the only post in the middle of a massive field. Bugger!

Personally, I can see this guitar going a long way. Hopefully, I'll get by for life.

N/A

I've been playing for eight years. In that time, I've been through a cheap Encore gut-string (five years), a free Jedson steel-string, cheap Korean one, misaligned frets, and an Epiphone Les Paul Studio. This is the best of the lot by a long stretch. I'd probably buy it again, if I didn't have the cash for something more up-market.

When I bought this, there was actually a more attractive Ovation sitting next to it, with matt-finished wood. Mmm, lovely. But the Crafter played so nicely that I had to have it. Quality!

Made this year in Korea, electro-acoustic about 20 frets, solid spruce top, ovation style 'bowl' back, shadow 4 active preamp and peizo pickup, nato neck with nice subtle flame, high gloss trans finish on body, grover 'mushrooms' with crafter stamped on them. nice fretwork for the money, came with nothing except some strings, a box and a battery. Everything i was looking for at the right price so:

I play all sorts of stuff, the accoustic sound is actually quite good for an electro, nice and woody, loud and plenty of sustain. It is really made to be pluged in though and the shadow active preamp shines here, bass, mids, treb, bright, vol and feedback kill do exectly what they are supposed to do. I had a look on the shadow web site and this preamp retails at $135 if you buy it separatly, i was really suprised to find such a quality branded component on such a cheap guitar...

Guitar was set up ok, standard highish accoustic action and heavy strings (12s or maybe 11s i think) but then again its not made for shredding. The pickup is fine, the bridge is fine pinless style - great design, the solid spruce top is bookmatched fine. A couple of minor finish flaws esp. on/near binding if you look closly at the guitar but that is to be expected at this price point.

i dont have a band since i went to uni but it feels quite sturdy - very light thanks to plastic bowl. strap buttons are solid, tuners are fine, frets seem a bit too soft but i will see how they wear and repost this reveiw if they start to wear out too quickly. i would depnd on it if i was gigging but always best to have a back up anyway.

N/A but the shadow preamp has a five year limited warrenty.

I have been playing about ten years, i bought this guitar without playing it but after reading a reveiw on guitarist.co.uk. The quality of cheap foriegn instruments has changed a lot in ten years, my first real guitar was a squier strat with plywood body and although it was not bad it was certainly not of the same build quality or general quality as this guitar. The squier was a good beginners instrument to be sold when you were no longer a beginner but this guitar is a real instrument at any price or level of playing ability. In my opinion it was a great buy for the money, if you are looking for a cheap electro-acoustic then i definetly recomend you consider this guitar. check the website out: www.crafterguitars.com